Eighty-one percent of metro adults in SA feel it is important to have independent TV, radio and newspapers so that people receive unbiased news, a new survey has revealed

This is significantly higher than the figure of 73 percent obtained in a similar study four years ago, TNS Research Surveys said on Wednesday.

In the 2010 study, only seven percent disagreed with the study, while 12 percent gave a "don’t know" response. TNS surveyed 2000 adults in the seven major metropolitan areas.

Respondents were asked to agree or disagree with the statement "It is important to have independent TV stations, radio stations and newspapers so we get unbiased news".

The same statement exactly had been posed in October 2006 and the figures had a margin of error of less than 2.5 percent.

TNS also asked people to agree or disagree with the statement "The media help to expose corruption". The level of agreement with this statement was 75 percent – essentially the same as the 74 percent obtained in the 2006 study.

TNS said while there were differences between race groups, these were much smaller than usual – the feeling cut across all race groups. There were no differences by age, but more affluent people felt somewhat more strongly.

TNS said it was clear that the role of the media in providing balanced and unbiased news coverage and in exposing corruption was seen to be very important, and this importance had grown in the past four years.

"Given the intention of the government to amend the Information Act to restrict the release of information to the public, this would appear to be a move most people would oppose," it said. Sapa

Read Is SA’s media under threat, and ANC declines Unisa media debate for more on this topic.